Conventional systems are available that display an image of a forwardly pointing camera on a back side of a truck. This allows trailing traffic to monitor the traffic situation in front of the truck. Dangerous passing maneuvers are able to be prevented in this manner.
In addition, assistance systems (such as passing assistants) are conventional in the automotive sector, which warn a driver when he is initiating a passing maneuver but another overtaking vehicle is approaching from the rear.
Assistance systems that estimate a range of vision of an environmental sensor on the basis of navigation maps and environmental sensor data and adjust their behavior in response are likewise known in the automotive sector. An estimated range of vision may be used for other assistance systems as well.
Moreover, assistance systems that warn the driver of approaching a curve at an excessive speed are also known in the automotive field.
In addition, an environmental sensor system that is able to measure a distance as well as a relative movement (velocity, acceleration, etc.) of the own (host) vehicle in relation to another object (such as a driver traveling ahead, approaching traffic, etc.) is conventional in the automotive field.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2011 086 299 A1 describes a method and a corresponding driver information system for informing the driver of a vehicle about the feasibility of a passing maneuver. Taken into account in this case is sensor information that was ascertained in the course of the passing maneuver with the aid of an environmental sensor system (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, side-view cameras); this the sensor information is recorded by the overtaken vehicle after the passing vehicle has pulled into the adjacent lane, in particular while the overtaken vehicle is being passed along the side. The information about the feasibility of the passing maneuver is determined as a function of said sensor information.
PCT Application No. WO 2015/096 878 A1 describes a method for providing driver assistance for a vehicle. Here, an area in the environment of a first vehicle is monitored, and the state of a road in the environment of the first vehicle is determined, the road state meeting defined risk criteria. A second vehicle, which initiates a passing maneuver in order to pass the first vehicle, is identified in the process, and a collision risk for the first and/or the second vehicle is ascertained during the passing maneuver.
PCT Application No. DE 10 2012 005 245 A1 describes a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle during a passing maneuver in a traffic lane that runs in the opposite direction but may be used for a passing operation. In this instance, it is ascertained whether the actually two-lane road may also be used as a three-lane road for passing purposes. This is ascertained with the aid of a gap, and the passing maneuver may take place exactly at the point where the gap exceeds a width of the motor vehicle, so that the vehicle is able to drive inside the gap while executing the passing maneuver, i.e., the vehicle is able to pass the object notwithstanding the oncoming traffic object.
European Patent No. EP 2 837 538 A1 describes a safety system for a motor vehicle, which provides useful information during a passing maneuver of another motor vehicle.
People have difficulties in estimating distances and movements far ahead since they are unable to see in three dimensions starting at a distance of roughly 30 to 50 meters, and instead estimate distances in a model-based manner. However, the model-based distance and movement estimation is heavily tainted with error and in automotive traffic may have fatal consequences during passing maneuvers that involve oncoming traffic. Regardless thereof, a visibility of the road is frequently overestimated while the adverse effect of crests, junctions or curves etc. is underestimated.
In addition to incorrect estimates of the distance and relative velocity, the underestimating of the length of the vehicle to be passed as well as the overestimating of the performance capability of one's own vehicle (e.g., acceleration values, maximum speed etc.) may only make the problem worse. For even if a passing maneuver is successful, it is possible that the passing vehicle has a residual speed at the conclusion of the passing maneuver that is too high for passing safely through the following curve.